Recently, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the North Sea, Paul Van Tigchelt, and Member of Parliament and Mayor of Grobbendonk, Marianne Verhaert, visited Drisag, a Belgian family business specialising in project and interior design, located along the E313 in Herentals. This visit was at the invitation of Fedustria, the federation of the textile, wood, and furniture industry and the wood import trade. The purpose is to give political key figures the opportunity to become more familiar with the wood and furniture sector and its challenges, such as innovation, international competition, an activating labour market policy, and the importance of a more coherent industrial policy.
Drisag is a Belgian family business active since 1970 and today specialises in interior design and the production of office and project furniture. The emphasis is on the creation of aesthetic and functional furniture that is also ergonomic and sustainable.
Niek Renders, Ad Renders (both Drisag), Member of Parliament Marianne Verhaert, Karla Basselier (Fedustria), Deputy Prime Minister Paul Van Tigchelt.
Pioneering role
CEO Niek Renders: "We gladly take on a pioneering role in terms of circularity and innovation, which go hand in hand for us. Thus, in the development of new products, there is always consideration of the reuse of the different materials. Our office chair Econic, for example, is built to be 100% circular. Components can simply be replaced or recycled. Also, the structure of existing interior concepts is regularly evaluated and adjusted. No fewer than 2576 products have been reimagined over the past 5 years. Through our Drisag Again label, we reupholster practically in any type of fabric, in any colour, on any Drisag product. This way, you can always give an old or dirty piece of furniture a second life. Through production optimisation, we also ensure that as few raw materials as possible are wasted. And when we do have larger remnants, we always look for new ways to process them. For example, by recovering carefully sorted cutting waste from furniture fabrics in acoustic wall panels, Ecoustipads."
Furthermore, Drisag only works with FSC-certified wood, thus coming from sustainably managed forests. By focusing on high-quality products and continuing to invest in innovation and the sustainable transition, Drisag can continue to make a difference here in Belgium.
Innovation is essential for growth
Most wood and furniture companies in Belgium are SMEs. They are primarily export-oriented (>65% export) and the international competition is therefore significant. To remain competitive, our companies must continue to innovate and invest, even in difficult economic conditions (energy prices, labour costs, raw material prices…). Innovation is crucial to be able to outperform the competition and to bring innovative products with high added value or new circular economic models to the market.
"Continuing to invest in innovation is in everyone's interest – citizens, politicians, and companies. Because without innovation, our companies cannot continue to grow and thus create prosperity. Fedustria wants to relieve wood and furniture companies of their worries and continue to guide them. Our companies must also be able to count on continuous innovation support, through subsidies and fiscal incentives, also at the European level. Moreover, there is also a need for more administrative simplicity in the context of research and development. This must fit within a more coherent industrial policy for Belgium," says Karla Basselier, CEO of Fedustria.
Deputy Prime Minister Paul Van Tigchelt and Member of Parliament Marianne Verhaert were highly impressed by the company visit to Drisag, a fine example of a 100% Belgium-anchored family business that excels through an enormous range of impressive and sustainable projects.
Paul Van Tigchelt: "Drisag is a prime example of a strongly anchored family business that excels in entrepreneurship by continuously investing in research and development and new circular business models. From a policy perspective, we must do everything to ensure that our industrial fabric is fully protected and entrepreneurship is further encouraged. Gems like Drisag show that it is essential for the government to continue investing in companies through innovation support."
Marianne Verhaert: "I am extremely proud of companies like Drisag, which demonstrate intense resilience and eagerness to continue investing and doing business in our beautiful region, the Antwerp Kempen. In this way, they not only contribute to employment and prosperity in our region but are also ambassadors with an international appeal."
More information:
Drisag
Diamantstraat 8
2200 Herentals
+32 14 23 11 11
[email protected]
www.drisag.be
Fedustria
www.fedustria.be
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